A Chesley Bonestell Space Art Chronology

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Summary: Great Biographical Information Plus a Complete Reference
Review: I thought I knew a lot about the history of space pioneers, and a little about the life of Chesley Bonestell, but I learned quite a bit more from this book. I also used it to hunt down a few books I'd never seen before. There is just no other place where this information is collected. The only thing you might wish for is thumbnails of the art. If you want to see what the pictures actually look like, you'll have to look them up for yourself. If you have any nostalgic sentiment for the space art of the 50's, this little volume will bowl you over.

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Summary: An indispensable book for Bonestell fans
Review: If you are a Chesley Bonestell fan, this is the book you have been waiting for. It is the only bibliography of Bonestell's work available to the general public, and it is now likely to remain the only one. Future bibliographers will have little, if anything, to add to Schuetz's comprehensive labor of love. As a bibliography, this book contains no reproductions of Bonestell's paintings (as several reviewers wrongly thought it promised) but rather lists all the places where Bonestell's artwork has appeared since his first stunning visions of Saturn graced the May 1944 issue of Life magazine. This priceless information is enlivened both by Ron Miller's introductory appreciation of Chesley Bonestell and the brief but well-chosen excerpts Schuetz has appended to most of the entries. For anyone who counts himself a Bonestell enthusiast, this book is sure to prove invaulable, both as a record of the master's career as an astronomical artist and as the ultimate collector's guide.

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Summary: Excellent Resource on Bonestell Art
Review: It is a well organized book, has excellent information and is easy to understand. It is very interesting (for those of us who like Bonestell and space art). It will be extremely helpful to me for obtaining Bonestell items of personal interest. I am glad Melvin Schuetz was willing to organize and share the information.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Resource on Bonestell Art
Review: It is a well organized book, has excellent information and is easy to understand. It is very interesting (for those of us who like Bonestell and space art). It will be extremely helpful to me for obtaining Bonestell items of personal interest. I am glad Melvin Schuetz was willing to organize and share the information.

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Summary: A long overdue reference book on the dean of space art!
Review: Like the author, having grown up during the infancy of space exploration, I have always been fascinated by "Outer Space". I can remember viewing many of his illustrations in various mediums throughout the years and wondering if I may have an opportunity to "visit" in real life, those places that Chesley had obviously visited in his own mind. As the years passed, those dreams faded somewhat, but were recently rekindled by Mr. Schuetz and his outstanding reference guide to Chesley's published works. For anyone that wants to explore the many magnificent works that were published over the years, this guide is absolutely essential in that endeavor. However, be warned...as in my case, it may cause the collector in one to be stirred as they try to obtain the many examples that had here before gone unnoticed. Mr. Schuetz is to be commended for his obvious "labor of love"! Highly recommended!

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Summary: A History-changing Artist Finally Gets His Due
Review: Not many artists can truly have been said to have changed history -- but Chesley Bonestell did. His luminous, imaginative, yet utterly realistic paintings helped convince millions of post-WWII Americans that space travel was more than an fantasy -- it could happen in their lifetime if they wanted to do it badly enough. It's unlikely that this turnaround in public opinion to support the space program, beginning in the late 1940s, could have happened without Bonestell's inspirational artwork appearing in hundreds of magazines, books, movies and on TV. With Schuetz' book in hand, anyone with access to a decent University or City library can easily locate the original printings of Bonestell's illustrations and see for themselves how and where the Space Age was born. This is easily the best book on Chesley Bonestell and comes highly recommended!

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Summary: An outstanding guide to one of America's great illustrators
Review: This is an indispensable book for anyone interested not only in the space art of Chesley Bonestell--the acknowledged father of modern astronomical art--but in the history of astronautics and American illustration. More than a simple catalog of magazines and books, it is enlivened by the author's commentary and annotations, as well as by a lengthy biography and detailed chronology of Bonestell's life. Three indexes make navigating the book a breeze. Every serious Bonestell collector--whether beginner or veteran--needs this handsomely produced volume. A bargain at any price